1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to multi-cylinder internal combustion engines for providing rotary power output. More particularly, the present invention relates to a toroidal internal combustion engine having a plurality of toroidal cylinders that slidably receive toroidal pistons to provide a desired direct rotary power output level in a smaller size and smaller weight engine than conventional, linearly reciprocating piston engines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional internal combustion engines of the spark ignition or compression ignition type each rely upon the linear, oscillatory movement of a piston that reciprocates within a linear cylinder. The linear movement of the piston is translated into rotary motion by means of a connecting rod that extends between the piston and an offset crank arm carried by a crank shaft that provides the output power. Because of the need to convert linear reciprocating motion into rotary motion, and because of the resultant mass of the necessary connecting rods, crank arms, and the crankshaft counterweights that are necessary to counterbalance the offset loads imposed on the crankshaft, considerable available energy is not available because of the necessity to convert the linear motion into rotary motion.
Rotary engines are known in which the operation of converting linear reciprocating motion into rotary motion has been eliminated. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,480, which issued Feb. 17, 1976, to Leon M. Yanda, there is disclosed an internal combustion engine having several pistons and cylinders that are each arc-shaped, with the pistons and cylinders each connected directly with a respective rotor for direct conversion of the output power strokes into rotary motion, without the need for transformation from rectilinear into rotary motion.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved rotary internal combustion engine of the toroidal-cylinder type.